Luke 23:32 There were also others, two criminals, led with him to be put to death. 33 When they came to the place that is called “The Skull”, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.
34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”
Dividing his garments among them, Psalm 22:18, they cast lots. 35 The people stood watching. The rulers with them also scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others. Let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen one!”
36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar, 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”
38 An inscription was also written over him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
Jesus is led, with two other men, both condemned criminals, to the place called the Skull, where they are nailed to crosses. As the soldiers are casting lots for his clothing, as prophesied in Psalm 22, and mocking him, Jesus prays, Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.
This is a prayer that all Christians should pray every time we are mocked and persecuted, because if our tormentors understood both the terrible judgment that awaits them for rejecting Christ, and the promise of everlasting life that could be theirs, they would repent and turn to the Savior.
Luke 23:39 One of the criminals who was hanged insulted him, saying, “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us!”
40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Don’t you even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 He said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”
43 Jesus said to him, “Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
While on the cross one of the criminals insulted Christ but the other criminal placed his faith in Christ. How do we know this? Follow the progression laid out by Luke.
First, the man, although under condemnation, feared God. He understood that God was a righteous judge who would not overlook or take his sins lightly.
Second, he repented saying that he was receiving the due reward for his deeds. He did not try to rationalize or excuse his sin away. He didn’t try to claim victim status. He honestly owned up to his deeds.
Third, he understood that Christ was innocent. This man has done nothing wrong.
Fourth, although he was unworthy, he asked the Lord Jesus Christ to grant him salvation. “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
Although enduring the agony of the cross, Christ granted the repentant sinner salvation: “Today you will be with me in paradise.”
To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.
2 Corinthians 5:8
As Paul would teach the Romans: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9
Luke 23:44 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. 45 The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” Having said this, he breathed his last.
47 When the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous man.” 48 All the multitudes that came together to see this, when they saw the things that were done, returned home beating their breasts. 49 All his acquaintances and the women who followed with him from Galilee stood at a distance, watching these things.
The innocent Lamb of God had been sacrificed. The veil of the temple that separated God from the people was torn in two, giving the people direct access to God through their mediator, Jesus Christ.
For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.
1 Timothy 2:5-6
The Lord [came] to destroy the scaffolding of the Old Covenant structure, the New Covenant Temple will be left in its place, and the victorious march of the Church will be unstoppable. The world will be converted; the earth’s treasures will be brought into the City of God.
(David Chilton, Days of Vengeance, Dominion Press)
Luke 23:50 Behold, a man named Joseph, who was a member of the council, a good and righteous man 51 (he had not consented to their counsel and deed), from Arimathaea, a city of the Jews, who was also looking for God’s Kingdom: 52 this man went to Pilate, and asked for Jesus’ body. 53 He took it down, and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb that was cut in stone, where no one had ever been laid. 54 It was the day of the Preparation, and the Sabbath was drawing near. 55 The women, who had come with him out of Galilee, followed after, and saw the tomb, and how his body was laid. 56 They returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
After Christ’s death, Joseph, a member of the ruling religious counsel who had not consented to their decision to crucify Christ, went to Pilate, seeking permission to bury Christ’s body. What made Joseph different from the other religious leaders? Luke tells us that unlike the other religious leaders who were looking for acclaim, and fortune, Joseph had been looking for God’s Kingdom. As God had promised, Those who seek will find. Jeremiah 29:13
The body was prepared for burial and laid in the tomb, however, because it was almost sunset, the beginning of the Sabbath, there was no time to dress Christ’s body with the customary burial spices and ointments. It was decided that this task would have to wait until after the Sabbath rest.